Your resume is an extension of you. How you write it is really personal preference. But, there are a few key things to remember.
- Write for the reader! The reader needs to be able to understand exactly what qualifications you have and what your job(s) entailed. No slang (this is particularly important for military personnel.)
- Be sure it is clean and easy to read. Most recruiters spend about 10 seconds scanning a resume - yes...10 seconds. The information they are looking for must be clear and easy to find.
- Always keep it to one page. Aviation resumes are different than the rest of the world in that even as you gain experience and your resume builds it must always be one page.
That said - there is quite a bit of talk about your first paragraph. Honestly, I'm not sure why you have included it. That
might belong in a cover letter. I say might because a cover letter is for what your resume doesn't/can't say - it is NOT a recap of your resume. Let your resume speak for itself, you don't need to "highlight" anything at the top. I would omit it.
You're going to quickly run out of room if you break out categories like "commercial" and "flight instructor" under your ratings section. My advice is to put them in one list under "certificates and ratings."
There is no need to include references on your resume unless specifically asked to do so. You will be providing these on the application. Your resume is your brag-sheet, all about you. Don't muck it up with references.
Hope this helps,
Lori